Terre dell'Alta Val d'Agri

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• The production zone is an intra-Apennine valley of Pleistocene origin and fluvio-lacustrine formation, with lacustrine deposits overlain by recent alluvial material.
• The soils of the area are alluvial in nature, non-calcareous, fertile, fresh, and deep — especially in the flatter reaches of the valley — with a silty-sandy and/or silty-clay texture and a substantial presence of coarse skeletal material.
• Altitude ranges from 546 metres above sea level on the valley floor near the river Agri to 1,723 metres at the summit of Monte di Viaggiano, with vineyards cultivated between 600 and 800 metres.
• The climate is characterised by long, harsh winters and short, dry summers, with average temperatures of 23–24 °C and annual rainfall exceeding 750 mm, concentrated mainly in autumn and winter.
• Valley-floor sites that are excessively damp, insufficiently sunny, or adjacent to watercourses are excluded from vine cultivation.

• The earliest evidence of wine production and consumption in the area dates to the fourth century BC and consists of wine vessels — a krater and a skyphos — together with a miniature terracotta bunch of grapes, all found in a warrior's tomb.
• The grape varieties authorised for production of the wine are Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, traditionally cultivated in the production area, with a minimum planting density of 3,000 vines per hectare.

• All wines of the appellation display a ruby-red colour, with predominantly fruity aromas of berries and stone fruits typical of the varieties.
• On the palate the wines show normal acidity, a possible residual astringency typical of the varieties, and an excellent structure that promotes both gustatory balance and longevity.

• The marked diurnal temperature variation at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn promotes grape ripening and the development of aromatic and colouring compounds, lending the wines particular qualities of distinction.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in Italy

Sources

• eAmbrosia register (EU) — File number PDO-IT-A0530
• Official trade body site — Consorzio di Tutela e Valorizzazione della DOC Terre dell'Alta Val d'Agri